Sailboat tiller extension hiking stick

Abstract

A sailboat steering assembly is provided which has a hiking stick that assumes fixed positions in use, but smoothly responds to any changes induced by manual manipulation of the helmsman. Typical swinging and flopping of the unattended hiking stick are eliminated.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sailboat steering assembly having a rudder controlled by a tiller to which is attached a tiller-extension comprising: a base mounted to a forward portion of the tiller, having a vertically disposed member in an upper portion thereof and having an annular shoulder encompassing the member; a compression member supported on the base shoulder, adapted to be copressed and deformed to a greater degree than said base when both said shoulder and said base are subjected to force; an axle supported upon the base and having a vertical and a horizontal channel disposed therein, said vertical channel extending through said axle and communicating with said vertical base member, and having annular shoulders at each horizontal and vertical channel end and which encompass each channel; a horizontal annular compression surface mounted on an axle shoulder; a yoke having a tiller-extension shaft at its upper end, and spaced-apart arms at the lower end thereof, the arms terminating in annular rings which mate with a horizontal compression member and communicate with the horizontal channel of the axle; end compression screws adjustably positioned within each channel and adapted to apply pressure to the compression members thereby providing uniform and controlled resistance to movement of the tiller extension shaft end in horizontal and vertical positions. 
     
     
       2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the axle has opposing horizontal channels at each of its ends and each shoulder carries a compression washer. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the axle carries a compression washer on at least one shoulder. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the annular rings of the yoke arms mate with compression rings on both interior and exterior arm surfaces. 
     
     
       5. A sailboat steering tiller extension comprising: a base mounted on a sailboat tiller, the base having a vertical threaded channel extending through at least an upper portion of its length, an upper shoulder carrying a compression ring encompassing the channel and the base being affixed to the tiller to prevent rotation thereof; an axle body having two horizontal arms and having a vertical channel extending throughout its length, each end of which terminates in a recessed shoulder which mates with and provides a compression surface surrounding the channel, a screw means positioned above and within the vertical channel passing through the axle and into the base channel, said axle further having a horizontal shoulder on each arm, each of said shoulders encompassing a channel extending at least partially through the length of the axle, and a deformable compression surface mating with each shoulder; a yoke having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end carrying a tiller extension member having a handle and the lower end having two spaced apart arms terminating in rings, the interior side of which mate with the compression surfaces of said axle and the exterior of which mate with second compression surfaces carried on the outer portion of each axle arm; and compression screws thereon threaded into the vertical and horizonal channels, end caps being carried by the screws and adapted to transmit pressure to the compression surfaces upon retraction of the screws within the channels. 
     
     
       6. The tiller extension of claim 5 wherein the compression surfaces of the axle comprise compression washers. 
     
     
       7. The extension assembly of claim 5 wherein the compression surfaces of the axle are unitary with the axle body.